The Reason
by Kizmuth
Summary: There must have been a reason for Ben Tennyson to leave the watch behind and resign himself to an ordinary life. Something horrific most likely. How about meeting a villain so deranged that he'd welcome Vilgax's sanity with open arms?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I had this idea brewing in my head ever since the end of Ben 10 Omniverse but never got to writing it until now. Given how B10 is my first fandom I felt an obligatory tug on my sleeve to write something for it.**

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><p>Chapter One<p>

The beginning of the end

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><p>Young Benjamin Tennyson found himself in a strange and desolate wasteland with only the howling wind singing a melancholic tune of dread and fear and a busted up watch buzzing, the dial twisting in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. The young child rubbed his arms and wished it wasn't as cold as it sadly was. He trudged on painfully, his head throbbing with inhuman speeds the surge of pain coursing through his mind being much alike stabs quick but painful. This went on for two hours. The terrain the boy had crossed was not filled with flora or fauna of any kind. It was merely dirt and rocks with an empty and nearly destroyed spaceship that had been abandoned a long time ago.<p>

The young eleven year old shivered and took refuge in one of the interstellar tin cans. It was cold still but less so than before. Ben found himself recalling the events that led to this fate. That would lead to his death most likely. The pale boy shivered and rubbed his arms for comfort and warmth. He would like to turn into Heatblast now. The pyrokinetic alien would save him right now and he'd even manage to start a fire for after his time out. A small phantom smile spread across Ben's pale face. That would certainly be nice.

The memories swirled in his mind and poured through him. Tears began to slide down his cheeks. He was right. That bastard was right, thought Ben and clenched and unclenched his hands because he felt them freeze, I am so gonna die. No one will ever find me. I shouldn't have run off. I should have stayed. At least Gwen and Grandpa might have found me then.

The cold killer called wind blew harder just to spite the boy with no means of surviving. Its song diminished hope as many aliens prior to Ben found out the hard way. It was a merciless fiend that terrified many of the desolate star. No one dared step foot on it lest they held their life in very low regard or wished to tell the tale of their fearsome triumph. Either way, whatever their goal was would not help them in any way. The wind would weaken them. The victims would find a shelter and survive... well until they fell prey to exhaustion. Then the secret underground dwellers of myth would rise and kill the intruders. Mercilessly.

Benjamin Tennyson found solace in watching the sand rise and follow the wind. It served as a great reminder that no one could find him. And even if they did find him how was Ben to know they were on his side. As he had grown to understand over the course of his captivity was that everything could be forged. His captor gladly demonstrated. A plumber's badge could be acquired and the previous wearer's form could easily be mimicked. Ben saw no fault in his assumption that his might be saviours could doom him to a worse fate than this.

That was why he found strength and forced himself into the open. He would die trying. The boy would end his life as he had lived it; he would do everything in his power to survive. There would be nothing anyone could tell him when they found his body that would pour regret into him. He trudged on with great and fierce determination to survive; the only sounds following his weak and ragged footsteps being the wind and the electricity bolts from his watch. The creation everyone sought.

Ben felt sickened by it. It was the reason he was in this entire mess in the first place.

The eleven year old human hated the busted up watch on his wrist. He liked being a hero. He adored the publicity even more. Not anymore.

He just wanted out.

The great hero Ben Ten wanted to give up on heroics and everything that followed with it. The tears still trailed down his cheeks silently. Ben thought of the reaction his grandpa and his cousin would give to his exclamation and his gut wrenched in fear. He felt like throwing up. The alien slop he had been forced to eat rose up from his stomach and travelled up his throat. Ben felt sick and swallowed it back down. It made him feel worse.

It hurt. His head was pounding, his intestines were twisting, his teeth were chattering, and in all of this Ben still felt like going forward. He would not give up so easily. No. He would certainly not. An eleven year old child swore to himself never to give up fighting for others and now he realised this also included himself.

The boy thought plenty about his life; as if it flashed in front of his eyes. Ben smiled at this with sadness. His parents, his family, Gwen, his grandpa, his many intergalactic friends, mentors, etc... Even Kai briefly crossed his mind. The enemies he had faced and won against alone and with others.

...And the enemy he had tried so hard to beat but couldn't. Ben let out a sob and a scream tore from his throat. It left his lips like the puke that wanted to exit his being. It was disgusting the mere mention of his name or his many titles left Ben in cool paralysis. He kept on shivering but at this point his body had grown used to the cold; it was his mind showing him the horrific images of his imprisonment. Ben stayed at one spot, cried, and shivered in fear.

The young hero found himself losing hope. His legs longed for rest and his aching form agreed wholeheartedly. Ben's vision blurred as his legs finally gave out and he fell. The exhaustion was too great for him: both mental and physical.

His body collapsed onto the hard desert-gravel like terrain and Ben did not say a single word in protest. Overcome with immense exhaustion and a lack of strength to give up he began to doze off slowly. A lulling feeling overcame him and Ben felt calm and... happy.

For the first time in weeks perhaps even months Ben felt at peace.

Just as Ben accepted his fate and had closed his eyes they shot open at the blood chilling call of his name. "BENJI? Here boy, I've been looking for you and merely wish to save you from your untimely death! Ohoho don't you dare keep hidden from me, Benji. I've foiled your other escapes and I'll bring this one to an end you miserable child! You belong to me after all. You are MINE!"

Ben felt sick again. The thought of returning to that madman sickened him utterly. With the last, weak, small amount of strength he could muster he began crawling in the opposite direction of the voice calling him with a false crooning tone.

With slow and deliberate movements Ben dug his own grave.


	2. Chapter 2

II

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

Thoughts

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><p>Maxwell Tennyson was a righteous man. The people adored and respected him. Aliens knew his name and valued him and his kin greatly. No one touched a hair on any of his offspring. Well, they didn't have a reason to other than to spite him, but soon they knew what a futile attempt that was.<p>

So it came as a surprisingly horrible twist when he saw his grandson and grandaughter being held by their throats by a red tetramand. His eyes were yellow and he wasn't clad in the traditional tetramand warrior garb. The clothes he wore were much practical and looked custom made. Black skin hugging material with blue and red streaks interweaving and making intricate patterns. They made a symbol on his right arm a circle with a four tipped star with a blue dot in the centre. Max didn't recognize it.

Quickly, Maxwell went to action after a brief shock. He jumped to his feet and ran towards the alien with a weapon in hand and a concerned frown on his lips. "Let go of my grandchildren!" He shot at him not bothering with a warning shot. His grandkids were in danger and he wasn't about to let them fall prey to a sadistic alien.

The tetramand gave Max one long look and let go of the girl. The shots seemed to have done nothing to him. Max looked at Gwen's gasping form at the feet of the tetramand and contorted his expression to pure rage. He should have been with them. Why wasn't he with them? Gwen...his little pumpkin was gasping for breath and heaving.

Max's eyes widened when he realised that Ben was still being chocked. His grandson glared at the alien and sneered at him. He clawed at the red being and struggled for breath. But Max caught his grandson's fierce look in his bright green eyes and saw himself when he was young and proud to be representing the human race in the stars. His breath hitched as he fired at the alien and even threw things at him. Ben's eyes were flickering and he looked extremely sick. The tetramand didn't even so much as flinch. Then... He let his grandson fall to the ground and turned to look at the elder human straight in the eyes. "You are Maxwell Tennyson? Magister Tennyson? I knew that harming them would get your attention." He crossed his arms and said through gritted teeth and a sneer. "I have a proposition for you. This armour is level thirteen technology. Serious stuff you can imagine when compared to the pathetic level two technology you are holding. I suggest you surrender the Omnimatrix." He raised his foot and hovered it over Ben's head. "Or I take his life."

"Ben!" Max cried and clenched his hands into fists. They shook in white rage and tears welled in his eyes. He wasn't prepared for this. His weapons were at a plumber's base not too far from here but he couldn't risk leaving them alone.

The tetramand waited. "Magister, I am waiting. I think of myself as patient but this is not befitting of you. Your grandson's life for the omnimatrix. It sounds fair and it ought to be fair enough." His sharp and crooked teeth mocked the human. The smile he was giving him was not a pleasent one. "Well?"

Maxwell was just about to admit defeat and face Azmuth's anger when blue manna errupted from Gwen's direction. Max looked at his once passed out granddaughter and saw a sneer on her bruised face. Her outstretched hand glowed blue just as the manna bindings glowed on the Tetramand's body. With a flick of her wrist she pushed him down and he fell with a loud thud.

Gwen's chants grew louder and battled the cries for help that the trapped alien shouted. With her eyes she gestured Ben and Max went to his rescue. He grabbed the boy bridal style and carried him to safety. The next step was calling the plumbers. He looked at his granddaughter once more and marvelled at her resilience. Verdona would be proud of her.

The strain of her injuries took their toll on her and she collapsed in her grandfather's arms. He dragged them to the RV and quickly got in, locking the doors on his way in. The fear that welled in his heart was great so he hastily turned on the vehicle and drove off as fast as he could. Their quick and painless getaway was unexpected. Max gulped; he looked in the rear view mirror and saw the tetramand blankly staring at them. He did not move nor did he shout. The custom armour clad alien grinned.

It sent a shiver down Max's spine. He held onto the steering wheel just a bit tightly than before.

The Magister then looked at his grandchildren with soft, warm eyes filled with regret. What had they gotten themselves into. Sometimes, when alone, he pondered on all the gritty details of his youth. How that fateful meeting with his love had changed so much for him. It broadened his horizons but it also threatened his life. Max's throat became dry at the mere thought; his grandchildren were too young for a life like that.

Gwendolyn stirred but Ben remained still. He breathed and had a pulse, Max made sure to triple check, but it still made him feel odd. His grandson was not the type to sit quietly even with injuries.

The grandfather returned his attention to the road. They were entering a more suburban area. It was a pleasant change from the countryside he had thought to bring his grandchildren to for a peaceful outing filled with fresh air; one without homicidal aliens seeking power in a blood lust trance. How wrong was that notion. Max huffed bitterly and drove on ahead, passing by lit streetlights.

Houses were closed and locked, not a soul was in sight. The streets were emptier as well. Max felt grateful but terrified at that. They were easy to spot. The plumber's base was not far from here but the elder held a small ounce of fear in his heart and mind. He had never seen such complex armour before especially not on a Tetramand. The alien must have lied about the tech level. That did not look at all like a standardised level thirteen armour.

A flash caught Max by surprise and he hit on the breaks hard. The RV halted to a stop and the elder could hear his young family groaning. Ben was still silent. It scared Max. The boy merely looked at the bland roof of the Rustbucket and blinked every so often.

"Grandpa..." Gwen choked out and held her throat. The expression he saw on her face was of pain. "Where are we?"

"I don't exactly know. We ought to be near a secret plumber's base-" Max couldn't finish his sentence. A large indent appeared on the side of the door to the RV and Max felt his blood run cold. The colour from his face drained and he grabbed the blaster again, shushing Gwen and telling her not to come out and to keep an eye on her cousin. With her nod of understanding Max opened the door and aimed it right at... nothing.

"You saw that... you heard that right?" The Magister questioned his sanity and gripped the weapon with all his strength. He'd grab another weapon just in case but at this point he was the same as with a puny stun gun thanks to that armour. It intrigued Max. On one hand it reminded him of something he had seen on his journey across the stars as a young cadet on the other it scared him of the improvements the oddly familiar looking armour had gotten.

Another flash went off and Max shot in the blind and was met with a bruised wrist and a gun out of reach. The flash went out and he saw a kineceleran with earth headphones on and the same suit of skin hugging material with the same intricate patterns on them as the tetramand.

Max's shout went disturbed as the speed alien grabbed a hold of him and swung him out of the RV and into a streetlight. The alien laughed a shrill laugh; it only seemed to grow louder as they stuck their head through the door and into the RV. "Heeellooo, children!" They entered the RV and passed Gwen without a second thought, going straight for Ben. The kineceleran grabbed a hold of Ben's hair and dragged him outside, pushing Gwen to the side and kicking her head in with their tail giving her a concussion and stopping her from using her abilities on them.

Max came to as fast as he could. He found strength and stood up shakily, resting his hands on his knees and leaning on the streetlight for support. He saw the kineceleran and yelled at them. Both his grandson looking at the watch and the alien tugging at his hair. His grandson hissed in pain but watched the dangling hand by the side of the kineceleran.

One was on his hair. The other would prove a problem. Ben looked at the tail and scowled. He had seen his grandpa panic and had experienced being helpless and near death all in a span of an hour or so. Hero Ben 10 they called him and came after him. He loved the lack of normalcy in his life. It excited him. To think that if he hadn't found that watch he'd be stuck in soccer practise right now; that thought drove him to do more, to experience more. Ben blinked and hissed at an involuntary tug on his hair.

The watch brought him many good things. Yes.

It also confused him.

He had to reshape his entire understanding of the Universe. This was also a good thing in Ben's opinion.

However, everything came with a price; it didn't help that the Universe seemed to rack it up whenever it pleased.

Ben wondered how much his head was worth in the blackmarket of the alien underworld. Probably a lot. A morbid thought but a true one. Ben tasted ashes. The taste the thought brought him was worse than any of his grandpa's cooking. He noticed he tasted that specific taste a lot for an eleven year old. More than he let on at least.

Sometimes when he glanced at the Omnimatrix on his wrist he thought what good it brought him and what a nagging feeling at the back of his head it forced upon him. He had signed up for it though. Time and time again had they asked him if he wanted it off. He told them no and said he loved going hero far more than his usual life. It wasn't a lie. Ben longed desperately for the broadness his new life offered; it was way more than his old one anyway.

Ben thought a lot. He hid his thoughts behind cheers of victory and jokes on nearly everybody's expense, but Ben thought nonetheless. And sometimes, more than Ben would like, he wondered what it would be like to sleep one night and not fear for your loved ones' safety or your own.

Click.

Ben forced a grin to his lips, he turned the dial, and slammed his hand on the selected alien.

"IT'S HERO TIME!"

It was the least he could do to appear his usual self; stick to the routine and win.

He was engulfed in a flash of green light and felt his body transforming into another XLR8.

The foreign kineceleran's biological windshield went up and two bright purple eyes gleamed right at Ben's green ones. "I was hoping you'd pick that form!" They said and let him go, running out of the hero's reach. They placed the headphones around their neck now.

"I do hope you can forgive the incessantly boooring attack. I was ordered to bring you alive you know. But I hoped and prayed to the Creator you would resist!" The alien clasped their hands together and looked up. "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

The kineceleran grinned widely and took out a small red dart from a little bag strapped to their thigh.

"The name is Vir by the way."

Max's eyes widened in fear and he whispered no. The repeat of the syllable grew louder and more violent.

"By the sound of your grandfather, he seems to remember meee! Hiya Maxy, say hello to that beautifully fun energy being if you get a chance!" Vir ran towards Ben with full speed and prepared the dart for throwing. To mess with their target they closed their palm and looked as if they wanted to throw a punch.

Ben huffed proudly and avoided the attack with ease, wondering briefly if his alien combatant was even trying. Then he felt a cold feeling overwhelming him and clouding his senses. He checked himself but couldn't find an explanation. He looked behind himself and saw a red puffy dart sticking half way through the skin of his tail.

The effect was instantaneous; Ben collapsed and transformed back into a human. Bubbly blue ooze oozed out of his mouth.

Vir put their headphones back on and scooped up the boy in their arms.

Ben couldn't move nor could he speak. His vision blurred and the poison took its toll on him, he felt sleepy. The kineceleran wiped the ooze off of his face and whispered. "Your grandpa is calling you and running after us Ben. That desperate man is overcome with grief and regret that he has apparently given up on reason and is attempting to catch us by foot! - oh no no wait he's turning back. That was a funny moment." The windshield went down and Vir took off. They turned Ben so he would be facing them and developed a high speed. The music playing loudly in their headphones and the boy snuggled in their arms, it was a pleasant sight.

Vir loved when a commission worked out. They really did.

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><p>Galvan residential buildings were not much given how the alien species tended to work themselves to death or at least until they were fit to retire. Sadly it appeared that the retirement age seemed to rise every century. No one complained. What with most of them being workaholics and all. Stereotypes were such a nice thing.<p>

So a home to a galvan was more of a place to sleep the immense fatigue off and perhaps eat something homemade. Instant meals mostly. They counted as homemade if you made them at home.

At least that's what Red told himself. Ever since the green clad genius had returned the Galvan fashion had taken a horrible turn for green. Everyone wanted to be like him and the name Azmuth had risen to the top ten most frequently used names of the year. Those poor tadpoles. Azmuth was a genius yes but that name - oh dear Creator that name sucked.

Digressions were made. Apologies followed.

Red was nicknamed this by his choice of attire; red traditional clothing with metal cuffs and a black streak going down in a zigzag formation. Of course he had green eyes he wasn't some genetic defect. But red was always a nice colour on him.

He waited for a call and tapped his fat fingers on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. A hum escaped his lips and he touched his face absentmindedly. A yawn interrupted his humming and Red jumped to his feet and stomped around the small apartment. "Did they fall prey to the plumbers? Possibly. No? Yes? I am certainly not calling them. Money well spent even if it was for nothing. 'Eh good riddance' as a friend would say." Red mumbled to himself and played with his fingers stippling them and pushing them against one another. He noticed the time and opened the door to his apartment, taking his usual place in the doorframe and waiting patiently. The hum returned and the stippling stopped.

The elevator arrived with a ding and Red prepared a grin for the occasion. He loved greeting his neighbour; it was the highlight of his jobless existence.

A galvan dragged himself out of the lift and looked as tired as ever. The grey galvan was pale and bordered that of a sickly albino. His name certainly lived up to his pale complexion.

"Greetings neighbour!" greeted Red playfully.

The galvan in question passed by Red in close proximity without a second thought and fumbled for the card allowing him access. What little colour he had left him when he couldn't find the card Red had already swiped from him.

The neighbour realised what had happened and mumbled out an anti social hello before outstretching his open palm.

Red gave him a high four and invited him in for sweet sticky bugs from a foreign planet he had imported. The tired neighbour entered the apartment and waited to be offered a seat. Which did not happen soon.

"So tell me, neighbour, how's work?"

"I mustn't complain. I am working for the smartest being in our galaxy after all. Possibly more if the Cerebrocrustaceans were not such idiots. They'll give in." The neighbour shrugged and sat in a chair without permission. Red came out of the kitchen with a bowl of squirming bugs covered in disgustingly sloppy and sticky substance. The neighbour's eyes gleamed and his mouth watered.

"So tell me a bit about your troubles. How's your life? Have anything to talk about that you would like to unload, I'm your guy." Red pointed to himself proudly and huffed up his chest.

The neighbour's green eyes narrowed and he swallowed the dead bug up. "Why are you so interested in me? There's a crime investigator living right underneath you. And a father of six three floors down. That's more interesting and horrifying."

"Yes but you're on my floor." Red justified himself. "Here have more bugs. I'll make you something to drink. What kind of host would I be if I didn't offer tea?"

The neighbour nodded and thanked him, easing into the whole social interaction. "Well... what do you want to know? Since I appear to be a show for you."

Red laughed loudly startling his guest. "Oh don't be silly. You are much more than that!"  
>His guest shrugged and ate another sticky bug. "I'm playing slave to the most arrogant galvan you'll ever meet. He cuts my pay whenever! The only thing I'm personally fond of is my work on the highly advanced technology. Or the added updates on the Omnimatrix. Why Azmuth allows a child to wield such a device is a mystery to me."<p>

Red heard a ding and went to retrieve the tea. "Well at least you're getting some work experience right?"

"Yes but at what cost?" The galvan cried.

"Well what if you quit then?" Red suggested even though that prospect did not benefit him at all.

The guest laughed. "And let that Chimera sui Generis take my credit? I don't think so! I did not develop crippling insomnia to just quit."

Back in the kitchen Red added something to one teacup and memorised which one. He carried the two cups with him and gave the spiked one to his guest. He sipped his and smiled at his guest's story. "Terrible. I envy your dedication."

"What do you do?" The neighbour asked and took a sip of his drink.

"I teach. Taught. Unemployed now."

"What?" His guest slurred and blinked his eyes open. "What did you teach?"

"Chemistry and Biology."

"Nice combination."

"Thank you."

"So... can I have my card back now?" The neighbour barely held himself upright at this point.

"One more question. You can go if you answer it. I'd appreciate it." Red smiled warmly, "You mentioned that new updates were made about the omnimatrix correct? Well I am concerned about a child activating the SDM mode again and blowing us up ha ha ha. Is there a combination one would have to enter to stop it or?"

"No... I get where you're coming from -yawn- excuse me. The SDM mode has been recently updated that in case Tennyson set it off again it would deactivate until Azmuth's confirmation which would have to be inputted on the scene. Full deactivation but then there's a problem we are experiencing now about the tracking. When it's deactivated completely nada. Not a single trace of the thing. Null! We are still working on that. Tennyson is far too young to be entrusted with the code as you can imagine."

"The DNA signature?" asked Red about it, his galvan teeth glinting in good health and impeccable dental hygiene.

His guest giggled and took another sip. "It was Myaxx's all along. Azmuth took it off and never got around to putting his on the blasted thing."

Red's eyes flickered with pleasure and sheer satisfaction as he said, "Thank you for a nice time."

He gave his guest the card and escorted him to his apartment across from his own.

"That was more than I needed to know."

Red grinned and his face lit up beautifully when he saw his comlink blinking. He had just gotten a message from his contact. Today was a nice day.

He opened it and saw that the kineceleran he had commissioned had made a selfie with the ill looking boy with the omnimatrix strapped to his wrist; the caption read 'Got him alive we're just about to administer the antidote to some seriously chilling poison. Cya!'

A nice day indeed! Red let out a content squeal and made sure to destroy the communication device at his earliest convenience.

He heard his civilian datapad blinking and answered it with furrowed brows.

"Hello?"

"Heeey professor-!" An annoying child greeted with a plea waiting to be plead.

"Rizmuth hello to you as well." Red greeted with a softer tone. After recognizing the voice he smiled fondly at the galvan student.

"Are you free? Like can I come over I've got an exam soon and I dunno why I'm ever going to need to know the physiology of an anodite like creature-"

"Energy being is the term you're looking for there." Red corrected him.

"See you get the picture! I'm hopeless and in need of a masterful tutor like yourself to guide me through this bleak prison the Galvan education system has forced me into!"

"Any plans for after secondary school, Riz?" Red laughed.

"Frankly I thought I'd go into law but then there's already enough zmuths in there haha! I dunno. So are you free?"

"Um yes I am actually." Red answered happily.

"Great! Oh and by any chance there's this chem test tomorrow that I reaally honestly planned on studying for but just got lost on the dwindling path of life-"

"The only subject I can't help you with is geography! Frankly I'm lost!"

"Nice one! Well I'll see ya." Riz hung up.

"What a charming galvan." Red commented and began preparing his house for his newest guest; whose drink he won't spike for fun or information.


End file.
